The day we’ve waited a whole year for has now come and nearly passed at 10:15 pm. It was quite a day.

Last year we added to our Christmas experience by expanding to include a Toys-For-Tots drive in conjunction with our club’s sponsor, Findlay Cadillac. This year, over $250,000 was raised in cash and donations. On the 15th that program ended with an outstanding Variety show that the dealership funded. With John Saksa at the helm and LJ Harness doing all the legwork. It was a can’t miss this celebration honoring the Marine Corps and all that they do for the underprivileged children in our community. Las Vegas is such a giving community including Henderson, Summerlin and North Las Vegas.

Our wonderful Las Vegas Cadillac Club donated toys for Toys-For-Tots and can goods for the homeless youth shelter at Thanksgiving. A big THANK YOU to these gracious and caring folks that gave and many gave again. THANK YOU.

A year ago I found out about the homeless youth shelter at the Shannon West Centerpart of Help.org here in Las Vegas. I was put in touch with a man named LaDon McPike who orchestrated a Christmas program and was looking for donations. What started out as an opportunity to help homeless kids (as I once was) became so much more.

LaDon and I connected on so many levels. Last years event was great. This year’s event was much better. LaDon is now my Partner in The Rawson Groupproviding consulting to companies under $25 MM and he’s made me his partner in his NGO called TeamPro3.

Together we’ve accomplished so much this year. 2019 promises to be an even bigger year. Besides expanding our operation and a bit of housekeeping in our structure, we praying for a box truck and a building/storefront for our operation.

This year’s been the best in a long while. I’ve so many things to be thankful this Christmas.

It’s my hope that Christmas this year meant more than just presents or a great meal.

Thanks to all my readers, friends and associates. I play G-d blesses you all.

How Important Is Your Birthday?

As I sit on the eve of yet another birthday, I’m asking, how important is it?

To me, it’s only important because I chose to make it so. For me, it marks a specific passage of time. It’s time I thought I’d never have with my wife, my family, and my friends.

It’s also the recognition of how really blessed I am.

So to all of you that I know and many of you I don’t, thank you for making my life so blessed.

Until next time . . .

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This Blog is changing

At first, I thought the change would be difficult if not impossible. Then I saw the graphic above and it all came back to me. My whole life people have said, “You can’t.”The secret to the successes I’ve had is that I always said,

I Can

And so can you. If you’re following my blog posts always looks for what’s recently been posted in the bottom right of the page. Click on a topic that interests you. You can.

David Lester Rawson

1952 – 2018

My Brother passed away this morning at the age of 65. He simply stopped breathing. He suffered from COPD and dementia plus a few other age ailments (that many of us have).

David was the 3rd born from Alice Alberta and EJ Rawson. He was born in 1952 and I remember going with my Dad to pick up my Mom and my brother from the hospital in San Diego.

When Dave was young, he followed me everywhere. Probably the big Brother thing but it was fun. We did a lot together. When I think of David I think of him at 8 years old and we were rebuilding a carburetor for my 1938 2 door Chevrolet in our bunk bed. OK, in his bed. Dave actually took the lead, he understood mechanics and I never did. He turned wrenches and I never knew what to do with them.

Our parents passed very early in life. Dad at age 42 and then Mom at age 44. Dad of a heart attack and Mom from Cancer. Just before Mom died, Dave came to live with me. It had been awhile since I had last seen Dave but it was then that I realized how really far apart we were.

I was in the U.S. Air Force and had just returned from a Southeast Asia (Vietnam) deployment and stationed in Tacoma, Washington. I was already married but didn’t have any children. David was cool before anyone had taken the time to define it. He had long hair, used the hip words from the time and I was a squared away young man in the military with very short hair. Already worlds apart.

Dave and I tried making him a platform bed from scrap lumber (I did know how to do carpentry. . . a little). It was a great bed. We made it in the basement and then had to modify it to get it out of the basement and through the front door. That worked out but we didn’t take the narrow stairwell into consideration. At that point, we looked at each other and said, “to hell with it.” We through it in the front yard and spent the next 45 minutes or so ripping it apart with hammers. Lots of fun. He decided to sleep on a pile of blankets. Again, hippies had nothing on Dave.

Then we bought an old plumbing van and wanted to make it super hippie for Dave to drive. The whole project was way beyond our means and understanding at the time. Still, we had a good time beating it up.

After a year or so, Dave and I grew even further apart. I didn’t understand him and he didn’t understand me. Our language, goals and what we liked to do were so far apart. Dave finally had enough and one day, he just left. A couple of months later he showed up at our Grandmother’s home in Kansas. One day he just left there. It would be literally 5 or more years before we had communication. Then, he called and we found out he was married and had a baby girl named Jenny. We went to Washington state where he was living and met his bride Carol and daughter Jenny. She was just a bit older than our oldest daughter, McKay.

For the first time in a long time, Dave and I connected over cars. I’m a car guy and so was Dave, at the time. After that visit, we lost touch again. Dave was into motorcycles and went by the cool name of Noel. Our youngest sister came up with the brilliant idea of asking every biker she could if they knew Noel in Tacoma, WA. Finally, one said, “I think so,” and just like that, she found him and my two sisters and I went to visit him. The four D’s were back. DR, Diane, David and Dale. I have a picture that I’ll post right here when I find it. It was taken about 10 or more years ago at the one and only family reunion that we held in San Diego.

Sadly, Dave and I just never clicked as Brothers, certainly not the last 25 or more years. It doesn’t mean that I didn’t love him . . . not at all. Rarely, a day has passed when I didn’t think of him when we were children.

Curiously, I looked like my Dad and Dave looked like our Grandfather Rawson. Grandpa Rawson was born on January 10, 1902, and lived to be 87 years old.

Dave’s wife Carol, their daughter Jenny, Son-in-law, Steve and Dave, his grandson, are all hurting and missing this mountain of a man who could be at times, larger than life itself.

Dave, I’ll always miss you and I’ll always love you. Say hello, to our Sister Diane that passed away a few years ago.

New Years resolutions or are they goals? Frankly, I’ve never made resolutions, I always felt that they were for people that couldn’t commit.

Here’s a link to a Harvard Study on goals. This one was done in 1977. The original goal setting pager was done at Yale in 1953. Simply put, people that set goals (and write them down) typically make many more times in income than those that don’t.

It’s always been true that those of us that live our lives intentionally vs. whatever life gives, have always done more, had more and more typically enjoyed more than others.

I used to feel this was a condemnation of those that don’t set goals. As I’ve gained experience I’ve come to realize that there are a lot of people that don’t set goals, don’t live seemingly intentional lives and are totally successful by anyone’s standards.

I’ve also come to realize that there are people that just can’t live their lives focused, focused, focused . . .

Personally, I’m a goal setter, that does not say that I don’t have respect for others that don’t set goals. There are so many ways to get to where you want to go.

Oh no, you’re having a heart attack . . . ALONE

This information crossed my desk and I felt strongly that it should be passed along. I would encourage you to read it more than once. Be well. DR

Let’s say it’s 7:25 pm and you’re going home (alone of course) after an unusually hard day on the job. You’re really tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to drag out into your arm and up into your jaw.

You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home.

Unfortunately, you don’t know if you’ll be able to make it that far. You have been trained in CPR, but the guy that taught the course did not tell you how to perform it on yourself.

HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN YOU ARE ALONE

Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously.

A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again.

Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it to regain a normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get help or to a hospital.

Tell as many other people as possible about this. It could save their lives!

A cardiologist says that If everyone who gets this email, & kindly sends it to 10 people, you can bet that we’ll save at least one life.

Clearly, this is a blog, but you can copy and past this. Send it to people that matter to you. If everyone does that, this word will get out in no time.

If this message comes around to you ……more than once…..please don’t get irritated…..You need to be happy that you have many friends who care about you & you are being reminded of how to tackle heart attacks when you are alone.

My friend Gary Friedman took this picture. It also hangs in my home office. It reminds me [daily] of those that have served and gave all for our country.

Like you, I’ve lost so many friends that served. Fortunately, my own children that served are both at home and now relatively safe here in the U.S.

My daughter Morgan Rawson served in the Army and was in Alaska. My son Doug was anyplace there was shooting. After more than 18 years, he medically retired from the Army. I’m so proud of both of them. Morgan came home early. Doug fought on and continues to pay the price with PTSD and many other issues. I remember how privileged Doug felt to serve.

My Father served in WWII and my Grandfather served in WWI. My great, great Grandfather served in the civil war. In every war or skirmish the U.S. has ever had, there was a member of my family serving our country.

When you see someone that has severed (while out and about today), please thank them for their service. I’m also thankful that my children served.

I was feeling badly because I didn’t have anything to add above and beyond what I’ve previously said about Memorial Day . . . until now. A friend of mine, Brady Mazola (on Facebook and in real life) has a passion for helping returning Vets become active through sports. He brought this graphic to my attention. Thanks for posting this on your timeline Brady.

Some would say, NO, when you’re no longer in uniform, you’re no longer a soldier. However, I would argue that what our young men and women endue during and after they leave the military makes the caption correct.

It’s not unlike the less combative experience of attending a college and possibly an organization while in college or being a Mason (as I am). In this case I am a Veteran, Mason and I attended college. In each case, the experience means something important in my life and those that have shared that experience know what I’m talking about.

There is also the idea (held by me and perhaps you . . . now) that once we’re soldiers we better understand what it takes to defend FREEDOM. A line from a song says: “all gave some and some gave all.” When you leave the military it simply means you no longer wear a uniform. Instead, you become cloaked in your own idealism that defines what you believe in and certainly who you are. Are you a defender of FREEDOM? Do you believe in what we have as a way of life? Are the principles and values that this great nation were founded upon mean something to you?Will you freely verbally defend these same principles and values? If so, then my friend, you ARE a soldier in the cause of FREEDOM.

We remember those that have fought for FREEDOM. In truth, EVERYDAY we should we give thanks and prayers for those who currently serve and have served and/or given their full measure of life . . . for us. Many of fore fathers and yes mothers have given some or all to defend FREEDOM and to insure that we have it [today]. We still have men and women trying to insure that we maintain the quality of our life. That we have what our Constitution, Declaration of Independence and our Bill of Rights proclaim that as a Nation we believe that these truths ARE self evident. Do you believe we still stand for these things as a nation? If you don’t, then perhaps you should join the ARMY of people who’ve dedicated their lives to insure that what we have and that what we believe in will always live on. Consider this YOUR personal call to action. What will you do?

Here’s a quick and easy thing to do: Register and Vote

Exercise your right as a citizen to elect those that you think will do the best job of insuring the principles and values we say we want. Do that, VOTE. Every vote cast honors those that have fought for FREEDOM. Do that, VOTE.

Everyday is a challenge, however anything worth having has always been a challenge.

This is one of my favorite pictures of our President. Possibly because I can relate to it. I do something similar before I give a talk. Think of it as rolling up your sleeves.

Recently, my friend, Jerry M. Taylor posted the following on his Facebook page. I’ve attempted to do the same but I’m not sure it’s there. However, my blog is something I can absolutely control. Here’s the message that Jerry posted for us all.

President Trump is asking everyone to forward this email to a minimum of 20 people, and to ask that each of pass this along. This message is independent of DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS or INDEPENDENTS. It is intended for our country’s citizenry. It’s time we managed our government rather than the other way around.

In three days, most people in the United States will have the message. This is clearly an amazing idea that must be passed around.

THE TRUMP RULE:
Let’s see if Congress understands what people pressure is all about.

Salary of retired US Presidents .. . . . . $180,000 FOR LIFE.

Salary of House/Senate members .. … $174,000 FOR LIFE

This is stupid

Salary of Speaker of the House .. . . . . $223,500 FOR LIFE.

This is really stupid

Salary of Majority / Minority Leaders … $193,400 FOR LIFE.

Average Salary of a teacher . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. .$40,065

Average Salary of a deployed Soldier . . .. . . .. $38,000

Here’s where the cuts should be made!

Congressional Reform Act of 2017

1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they’re out of office.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 7/1/17. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women.

Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and go back to work.

TRUMP, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the best quotes about the debt ceiling: “I could end the deficit in five minutes,” he told CNBC. “You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election”.

The 26th Amendment ( granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds ) took only three months and eight days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971 – before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took one (1) year or less to become the law of the land – all because of public pressure.

Trump is asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn, ask each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.
If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people, then it will only take three days for most people in the U.S. to receive the message. It’s time!

Please feel free to copy and paste this message on your Facebook page, your website or any other place where citizens of this great nation can read this.

Oh, so many things.We begin just as others say they’ve “hit a wall.”We don’t see anything else that can be done about . . . . now we can begin.

Some people say, you can’t see the forest for the trees.Stated clearer is that when you wonder into the forrest your light of sight goes from tree to tree (problem to problem).Few people backup and just look at ALL the trees.

The term possibilist for me was not something I was even looking for.No, it found me.As I was consulting back in the ‘90s the company had hit the wall.I was fortunate enough to come in and supply the answer.It took me one day and several possibilities emerged.As I explained their options (from my perspective) someone around the conference table said, “You’re a real Possibilist.”

Every since that day, I’ve noticed that I don’t quit, I don’t just give up.There is always another way.

How about you?Do you see the possibilities as endless or limited?

What are your thoughts?

“The moment you realize that everyone is saying, “we can’t go any further, it is the time for the possibilist in all of us to come forward.”